Packaging method and article



Dec. 3, 1963 23 2| //l5 n Q6 I 1 l2 I6 Io l7 l6 l3 '6 '7 I8 @GK? (imamla @EQ @i) Filed July 26, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

ROB ERT J. BLU M DES JARDINS ROBINSEN & KEISEF I HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,112,826 PACKAGING ME'IHOD AND ARTICLE Robert J. Blnm, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 26, 1955, Ser. No. 524,506 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to a novel method of assembling articles to be packaged into a band-type carrier and forming the same into a unitary package, and also to a novel form of carrier for use in connection with this mthod of packaging.

In accordance with present day merchandising practices, canned goods, or bottled goods, are generally sold as individual units, although in the case of certain goods such as beer, they are oftentimes put up in cardboard carriers of well-known form. In view of the advantages of putting up canned goods or bottled goods for sale in packages of three or more units, such practice would undoubltedly be more widespread were it not for the relatively high cost involved in preparing the packages.

To eliminate this drawback to the packaging of canned and bottled goods, I have devised a cluster-type of carrier in which a band of flexible sheet material such as kra'ft paper is placed around the individual units to bind them together into a unitary package as they come off the assembly line at the canning or bottling plant. The carrier which I have invented lends itself to a fully meohanized packaging operation so that little or no labor is involved in assembling the package. Likewise, the cost of the material used in forming the carrier is much less than that of the conventional type of bottle or can car rier. Hence, an entirely new field of use for can or bottle carriers is opened up by my improved method of packaging and by my new type of carrier designed for use in connection therewith. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method of assembling a plurality of columnar articles into a unitized package.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanized, assembly line method of applying a band-type of carrier to a plurality of columnar articles to bind them together into a unitary package.

Another object of my invention is to provide a looptype of band carrier which may be dropped over the columnar articles to be packaged and fastened therearound to form the package by automatic, mechanical means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clustertype carrier for columnar articles which is formed of a double-loop band of flexible, sheet material in which the ends of the loops containing the articles are brought together to form a carrying handle.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a bandtype carrier for columnar articles, a handle reinforcing and band tightening means which is applied to the carrying handle of the carrier after it has been assembled around the articles to be packaged.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following description, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and modes of procedure, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claim and a preferred form or embodiment of which will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of the band-type article carriers before it is applied to the articles to form a cluster-type package.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the separate stages of assembling the carrier and articles to form a cluster-type package.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a completed package containing six articles which are to be handled and sold as a unit.

My improved band-type carrier is shown in FIG. 1. As seen from this figure, it consists of a band 10' of strong, flexible material such as kraft paper, the band being of suitable width to engage with a substantial portion of the sides of the columnar articles to be packaged in the carrier. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the band it is formed from a strip of paper material, the ends 11 of which are brought together at the center of the strip and fastened thereto by gluing with a suitable adhesive. There is thereby provided a double-loop type of construction forming two pockets 12 and 13 of equal size. Each pocket is adapted to receive one or more of the articles to be packaged in the carrier, herein designated by reference numeral 14, and should be of a size suflicient to readily accommodate the articles therein and provide excess length for forming the carrying handle of the carrier as will hereinafter be described.

To use the carrier 14 herein shown, an equal number of articles, i.e. one or more, are placed in each of the pockets i2 and 13, and a similar number are placed adjacent the center :of the band outside of the pockets. The free ends of the pockets, which are the ends remote from the central juncture of the ends 11 of the band with the center of the strip, are then brought together around all of the articles and rfastened together to provide a carrying handle with the articles snugly received within the three compartments formed by each of the two pockets 12 and 13 and the intermediate compartment formed by the band material when it is brought around the articles lying outside of the pockets. The excess material provided in the loops of the band 12 for providing a carrying handle may be fastened together by gluing or stapling and finger holes may be provided therein if desired.

The form of carrier which I have described has special utility in that it is adaptable to a mechanized, assembly line procedure in forming the completed package. A packaging method utilizing this feature of the carrier construction is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein a conveyor 15 serves to move the articles from one station to the next as the carrier is formed. This conveyor may conveniently be situated at the end of the assembly line in the canning or bottling plant. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the articles to be packaged are cylindrical cans of conventional tform containing food, juices or liquids which are adaptable for sale in lots of three or multiples thereof. As shown at the right-hand side of FIG. 2, the cans are arranged in single file by twos inasmuch as three groups of cans of two each are to be assembled into each carrier 14. The two cans of the first group are numbered 16, the two cans of the second group are numbered 17, and the two cans of the third group are numbered 13 for the sake of identification in the later stages of the package forming process. The cans are advanced by the conveyor to a station 19 where the carrier 14- is dropped by a suitable mechanism over the cans as indicated in the drawing. The cans 16 are thereby located within the pockets 12, the cans 18 are located within the pocket 13, and the cans 17 are located at the center of the carrier and outside the pockets. The first stage of assembly being completed, the conveyor moves on to bring the cans to a carrier forming station 20 where mechanical fingers engage in the loops 12 and 13 and bring them together around the cans 17 to form a carrying handle 21. The ends are permanently secured together by bluing or stapling to maintain the package in its assembled form. The conveyor then moves the package to a station 22 where a handle reinforcing and band tightening element 23 may be applied over the handle and secured thereto.

In 'FIG. 3 of the drawings, the completed package is shown in greater detail. As therein shown, the cans 16 are retained by the band It in the pocket 12 of the carrier while the cans 18 are retained in the pocket 13 thereof. The cans 17 are held in a third compartment 24 formed by the portions 25 of the band (see also, FIG. 1) which are brought around the cans 17 when the carirer is formed at station 28. When the excess material provided in the two loops of the band 12 is brought together to form the handle 21, the cans will be bound together by the band 10 to form a unitary package of six cans.

To further tighten the package and remove any slack from the band it the element 2.3 comprised of stiff paperboard or similar material may be placed over the handle 21 with its bottom edges 25 pressing against is band 19 at the bottom or" the carrying handle 21 so that when the two side portions or plaques 27 and 28 of the element 23 are brought tightly together and fastened to one another by staples 29 passing through the handle 21, the slack, if any, in the band, will be removed and the band will be stretched taut around the cans in the package.

For convenience in carrying and handling the completed package, finger holes 3 may be provided in the carrying handle as shown in PEG. 3. These holes extend throough the element 23 and handle 21 as shown. There is thereby provided a strong and convenient handle for enabling the package to be lifted and comfortably carried about by the use of one hand only.

While I have described my invention in connection with one possible form or embodiment thereof and have used, therefore, certain specific terms and language herein, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the claim which follows.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

In combination, a band of flexible sheet material he ing opposed ends joined to a central portion thereof to form two looped sections respectively defining two pockets, at least one columnar article disposed in each of said pockets, at least another columnar article disposed between said looped sections, said looped sections respectively having portions thereof drawn about said other article and folded handle portions extending outwardly therefrom and adjacent each other, and means engaging said band adjacent said adjacent handle portions and tending to tighten said band about said articles, said last-named means comprises a U-shaped substantially rigid member having a pair of depending legs and disposed over said adjacent handle portions with said legs engaging said band adjacent said handle portion to tighten said band about said articies.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 97,129 Smith NOV. 23, 1869 1,337,978 La Fleur Apr. 20, 1920 1,671,775 Mcikle May 29, 1928 2,264,481 Peter-son Dec. 2, 1941 2,271,632 Diehl Feb. 3, 1942 2,603,923 Chidsey July 22, 1952 2,667,995 Bruce Feb. 2, 1954 2,677,460 Johnson May 4, 1954 2,891,664 Goyert June 23, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 853,576 Germany Oct. 27, 1 52 

